It was impacting on both his home and family life. 

Brad (not his real name) remembers contemplating suicide as he was driving home from work one day. 

Thoughts of his loving family stopped him from going through with it and, 

fortunately, he had the courage to get the help he needed.

Luckily, Brad did.

He is now unemployed after working for three decades in the mining industry.

Being in his mid-50s, he knows there is not a lot of alternative work around for “someone with his skill set” but is well enough to cope with his current circumstances.

“I can now look at things that happen in my life from the perspective of the glass being half-full rather than half-empty,” he says.

Treating his depression began with a visit to his doctor.

“I had always taken care of my physical health and had all the necessary regular check-ups but now I realise how important it is to pay attention to your mental state,” he explains.

“I got to the point where I didn’t want to go to work.

“My wife and daughters knew something wasn’t right but I would not talk about it. 

“I just withdrew and isolated myself.”

He admits seeking help can be daunting because of some people’s lack of empathy when it comes to conditions like depression.

“A lot of people just say ‘wake up to yourself’ and ‘get on with it’, ‘stop being a sook’ or similar things,” he says in a disappointing tone.

Even now, he is continuing ongoing counselling and visits a psychiatrist in Newcastle on a regular basis; Brad really only talks to his family and close friends about his depression.

“I have found in smaller communities where we move in smaller social networks, people are more reluctant to put their hand up and ask for help with their mental health,” Brad’s counsellor and local psychologist Kim Kalousek says.

“We tend to know a lot more of each other’s business than in the larger cities. 

“This is a shame, because none of us should be ashamed of having a mental health issue, in the same way that a diabetic should not be ashamed of their health condition. 

“Both conditions cause changes in body chemistry that can affect mood and behaviour.

“I have seen people with both conditions become erratic and even violent in their behaviour due to changes in body chemistry.

“However, as soon as we add the word ‘mental’ in front of ‘health’ the community tends to go to ground in terms of support.

“I have heard people say of mentally-ill loved ones - ‘why doesn’t he/she get over it?’ As if they are choosing to be unwell. 

“I have seen people in this community ostracise a person with mental health issues.  I have even seen entire families wiped off social lists because people are more concerned about themselves in case something happens.

“For some people there is even a need to attribute blame to make sense of what has happened.  

“Often these behaviours from the community can in itself exacerbate the condition for the individual.”

Nearly one third of the Australian population has a mental health issue and at least 50 per cent of us will suffer from poor mental health over our lifetime, so as a community we need to make it easy for people to talk about it and not feel judged, she says.

The exact cause of depression isn’t currently known, however a number of things can be associated with its development.

Generally, depression does not result from a single event, but from a combination of recent events and other longer-term or personal factors such as long-term unemployment, living in an abusive/uncaring relationship, 

long-term loneliness, and prolonged exposure to stress at work. 

Recent events can “trigger” depression in people who are already at risk because of past bad experiences or personal factors.

In Brad’s case he cites two events that have occurred in the past three years – the death of his father and the threat of losing his job – as “triggers”.

Generally men come to counselling with work-related problems, Ms Kalousek says.

“I have seen a rise in the number of males with depression coming through my practice in the past six months.”

“There is a lot more depression and anxiety in our community with the mining downturn – particularly for men as a lot of their identity is tied to their job.  

“The loss of work is not just about income, it is about no longer being the provider for their family and also about a reason to get up in the morning.

“Depression in its mildest form can impact a person’s quality of life in terms of their enjoyment and life satisfaction.  

“As the illness progresses it becomes more difficult for that person to go about their daily lives.  

“If left unchecked and at its extreme, a person loses all hope, seeing no future for themselves and becomes suicidal.”

However, regardless of gender she warns those who may not be coping with an issue in their life to seek out a reputable counsellor/psychologist.

“A counsellor will assess the individual and make a referral to a GP or psychiatrist if medication is thought to be warranted,” Ms Kalousek says.

“The counsellor will then work with the person to develop tools to help improve their quality of life.

“I have a great number of my clients work really hard on the tools I give them and significantly turn their life around. 

“It is really rewarding to see a smile on their face again.

“I always explain to my clients that they are only too happy to get their car serviced, get a dental or GP check-up, so why wouldn’t they touch base from time to time with a counsellor to check in on their mental health.  

“They never have an answer for this one.

“For some of them it is about the stigma of having a mental health issue, or for others, thinking they can manage by themselves until they really get to a stage where they are very unwell.”

She says early intervention is important. 

“We really should be teaching all our children about mental health both in school and at home,” Ms Kalousek says.

“Children should grow up talking about mental health, particularly in families where it already exists.

“We teach our children physical education and sex education, so why not mental health education – it is just another facet of our health?”

If you need assistance:

Lifeline 13 11 14

MensLine 1300 789 978

Beyondblue 1300 224 636